Saturday, October 25, 2003

For the Illinois National Guard's 233rd Military Police Company, the Internet is more than a superhighway. It's a 6,000-mile bridge that spans the gap between their frontline position in central Baghdad and their families, friends and even favorite department stores back home.

"A lot of the girls shop at Victoria's Secret," said Spc. Jennifer Stamer, 22, a waitress and bartender at Cheddars restaurant in Springfield until shewas activated, along with the rest of the 233rd, in February. "They get underwear, pajamas and swimming suits."

Curiouser and curiouser.

Further on in the story though I found this which may be of use to some of us.

A month ago, someone here discovered dialpad.com. Its use has spread like wildfire among the troops of the 233rd and the broader 519th MP Battalion, to which the 233rd is attached. With a microphone and headset hooked into a computer connected to the Internet, the troops can talk with friends and family back home for less than 3 cents a minute.